EOS 80D light meter doesn't change in Manual

[SV]

I haven't had this camera long and have been shooting in Auto, but started some tutorials for manaul shooting, and everything made sense until it started talking about metering.  It never changes. The triange stays in the middle no matter how I change the shutter speed, F stop and ISO. I see the light changing in the viewfinder but the meter doesn't move.  Do I have it locked some way? Hopefullly there's an easy answer, just something I missed.

Thanks for any help!!

[Waddizzle]

---

@SV wrote:

I haven't had this camera long and have been shooting in Auto, but started some tutorials for manaul shooting, and everything made sense until it started talking about metering.  It never changes. The triange stays in the middle no matter how I change the shutter speed, F stop and ISO. I see the light changing in the viewfinder but the meter doesn't move.  Do I have it locked some way? Hopefullly there's an easy answer, just something I missed.

Thanks for any help!!

---

I guess you’re talking about the viewfinder display.  You might be seeing exposure compensation, not exposure level.  It really depends upon your shooting mode and exposure settings.   

Do you see anything flashing in the viewfinder?  Your exposure settings could be poorly adjusted when you see a flashing ball.

It’s been a while, but I think the 80D also has a “Safety Shift” setting, that overrides your exposure settings, in order to prevent under exposures.  An icon should flash when this occurs.  You can disable “Safety Shift” in the menus.

[jrhoffman75]

What do you mean you see the light change?

Are you in Live View?

[Waddizzle]

If you are using One Shot shooting mode, you could be seeing exposure being locked.  This is another menu setting.

[kvbarkley]

You have the mode dial set to "M", right?

[SV]

Maybe I am expecting something to happen that doesn't happen.

I was following a tutorial and the guy showed his light meter with the pointer moving between -3 and +3 as he changed the settings. Mine has a pointer or inverted triangle thing at 0 but it doesn't move. Or maybe that's the 0 marking and I don't see a pointer at all.  So is  a little marker supposed to move around on the light meter as I adjust the settings?  I do see the settings change as they are adjusted..

Yes, I am set to M. And by the light changing, I mean, the picture appears darker or lighter as I adjust the settings. I just don't see anything happening with the light meter.

And I've tried this in live shooting and through the viewfinder.

I really did use to shoot manual, but that was 30+ years ago and I am having to relearn it all with a much different camera.

Thanks!!

[kvbarkley]

Yes, when you switch from any other mode to (M)  manual, the little meter should become a light meter, not an indicator of the exposure compensation. I suggest you call Canon, they can walk you through it.

[diverhank]

---

@SV wrote:

Maybe I am expecting something to happen that doesn't happen.

I was following a tutorial and the guy showed his light meter with the pointer moving between -3 and +3 as he changed the settings. Mine has a pointer or inverted triangle thing at 0 but it doesn't move. Or maybe that's the 0 marking and I don't see a pointer at all.  So is  a little marker supposed to move around on the light meter as I adjust the settings?  I do see the settings change as they are adjusted..

Yes, I am set to M. And by the light changing, I mean, the picture appears darker or lighter as I adjust the settings. I just don't see anything happening with the light meter.

And I've tried this in live shooting and through the viewfinder.

I really did use to shoot manual, but that was 30+ years ago and I am having to relearn it all with a much different camera.

Thanks!!

---

If you set to M but the ISO is still auto, you won't see the meter changing because the camera changes the ISO to keep it in the middle.  Otherwise it should be moving left or right if it underexpose and overexpose.  The meter only activate when you press the shutter half way.

[kvbarkley]

---

@diverhank wrote:

---

---

If you set to M but the ISO is still auto, you won't see the meter changing because the camera changes the ISO to keep it in the middle.  Otherwise it should be moving left or right if it underexpose and overexpose.  The meter only activate when you press the shutter half way.

---

Not exactly, when set to M and in auto-ISO, it will stay centered as long as your iso is in a range that will keep the exposure correct. You can verify this by wtching the ISO change on the LCD on top of the camera.  As soon as you go out of that range, the needle (see how old I am?) will move showing how far off "correct" exposure you are.

So, to see a change in the exposure indication:

Set a fixed ISO.

Keep pressing the shutter button.

[diverhank]

---

@kvbarkley wrote:

---

@diverhank wrote:

---

---

If you set to M but the ISO is still auto, you won't see the meter changing because the camera changes the ISO to keep it in the middle.  Otherwise it should be moving left or right if it underexpose and overexpose.  The meter only activate when you press the shutter half way.

---

Not exactly, when set to M and in auto-ISO, it will stay centered as long as your iso is in a range that will keep the exposure correct. You can verify this by wtching the ISO change on the LCD on top of the camera.  As soon as you go out of that range, the needle (see how old I am?) will move showing how far off "correct" exposure you are.

So, to see a change in the exposure indication:

Set a fixed ISO.

Keep pressing the shutter button.

---

Thanks for clarifying.  I know this...it should be obvious if you run out ISO that the meter will change. I'm just exploring one possible reason why the meter does not change for the OP.